Move On Me
by Indefensible2017
Summary: Set shortly after 'Prioritise the Heart' but is canon divergent - Bernie never told Marcus she wanted a divorce and confides her feelings in Serena, who realises her feelings for Bernie are much deeper than she ever anticipated. Written from Serena's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Serena let a sigh escape her body. She and Bernie had just spent the last three hours in theatre - a complication in their planned procedure had meant it had taken much longer than both women had expected.

She leant back into her chair and looked across at her blonde colleague. Bernie looked as though she was a million miles away, staring blankly at her computer screen.

"Bernie?"

No response.

Serena got up from her chair and went around the desk to sit on the edge of Bernie's desk. "Bernie?"

The movement seemed to bring Bernie back from her thoughts. "Sorry." She closed down her computer and turned her attention to Serena.

"You've been like for this for days. Is there something on your mind, Bern?"

Bernie gave a small shrug.

Serena frowned and got up from the desk to slide her coat on. "I haven't seen you eat all day, you're coming home with me for dinner." She'd never invited Bernie to her home before but she couldn't bear the idea of eating for the umpteenth time at Albie's and she couldn't leave her friend in such an obvious state of angst.

Bernie seemed to silently consider Serena's proposal for a second, before a small smile rose on her lips. "Dinner would be nice."

* * *

Serena had lost count of the amount of times Bernie had offered to help with dinner. 'Just sit there and drink your wine' she'd repeated on more than one occasion, slightly exasperated with her fidgety colleague. She wanted Bernie to relax, not be chopping up vegetables or worrying about if the pasta was cooked or not. She successfully managed to pull together a spaghetti bolognese without Bernie's involvement and took a seat opposite Bernie at the large oak table in the kitchen. "Bon appetit." She smiled.

With Jason out for the evening with friends, Serena realised how little time she spent with Bernie completely alone, even in their office they were constantly being bothered by their colleagues. She was surprised at how nervous she had been having Bernie in her house. She'd managed to trip over a few sentences whilst they'd spoken over their meal, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks as she'd done so. Serena almost never got flustered - she could perform a near-impossible operation in total calmness but one look from Berenice Wolfe and she was a mess.

"Thank you for this." Bernie smiled, taking a sip of her wine.

"Thank you for taking me up on my invitation. I never have anyone to visit. It's normally just Jason and I."

"No Robbie?"

"Robbie and I aren't seeing each other… it became a little complicated for him with Jason around." It had been a month since Robbie had changed his mind about moving in with her. He couldn't cope with the idea of living with Jason, though he hadn't even had the decency to tell her properly - 'I'll call you' was not the reaction she had expected from a grown man who had claimed to be in love with her. She was surprised Bernie had noticed.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Bernie reached across the table and gently ran her fingers across the back of Serena's hand. The feeling sent a tingle across Serena's skin and she moved to take Bernie's empty plate, piling it on top of hers and heading over to the sink.

Serena's feelings for Bernie were something she had never experienced before. She hadn't particularly liked the army medic when they had started working together but they'd so quickly become good friends and over the last few months Serena's feelings had deepened into something intense but yet totally indescribable. Bernie was a mystery - a beautiful, talented mystery that Serena yearned to solve.

"Was it something I said?" Bernie asked.

Serena felt herself blush in Bernie's obvious reference to her movement away from the table at her touch. "No. Can I interest you in another glass of wine in the living room?" She asked, hopeful that Bernie would agree.

The blonde gave a smile in response that made Serena's heart flutter.

* * *

Serena's living room was a mess of Jason's magazines and her collection of paperbacks she'd promised herself she'd find the time to read and never had. A flat screen TV was sat into the corner, angled into the middle of the room where a leather 2-seater sofa and armchair were placed, an oak coffee table sat in the middle of it all.

Serena placed a bottle and two glasses on the table and flicked on a lamp in the corner to cast a soft glow across the room. They both took a seat on the sofa, Serena immediately realising quite how small her sofa was when two people both sat there. Her thigh pressed against Bernie's but neither of them moved away.

Bernie reached out to pour the wine but hissed sharply, flinching at her movement.

"What's wrong?"

"Sleeping on the bloody sofa…my back is in agony" Bernie grimaced.

"Why are you sleeping on the sofa?" Serena placed her hand on Bernie's back, rubbing it gently through Bernie's black cotton shirt.

Bernie paused, closing her eyes. "Marcus and I had an argument a few days ago. He said I'm not the same person he married, he doesn't want to share a bed with me anymore. I can't say I blame him."

Serena felt her whole body fill with concern and empathy. Her marriage had been unbearable just before the divorce, she hated to think of Bernie going through anything similar. "What happened?"

"He knows I had an affair when I was in the army…" Bernie's voice was quiet and quivered as she spoke but her gaze remained focused on the floor like she was unable to meet Serena's eye.

Serena was taken aback by Bernie's confession. She never expected Bernie to be the type to cheat. She remembered how difficult she had taken the news of Edward's affair, she still hated him for it. She felt like a hypocrite to be so forgiving of Bernie.

"I haven't told him, but I can tell he knows, I can feel it when he looks at me." Her voice was so full of pain and frustration. "When she came to Holby to see me, we ended up kissing... but she said my decision to leave the army had already destroyed what we had. It turns out the IED did more damage to my heart than it did to my back."

"She?" Serena felt a rush of heat across her body at Bernie speaking about being with another woman. A heat that reached every finger and every toe and right down into the depths of her belly.

Bernie nodded, not meeting Serena's gaze.

"Oh, Bernie." She reached out and took her colleague's hand. "You need to tell Marcus. You can't trap yourself in a relationship that doesn't make you happy, even if your affair is over."

The blonde looked up at Serena with tears in her eyes. "I'm not sure I'm brave enough… I can't bear to lose my kids, I feel like I've only just got them back. They'll hate me. "

Serena wrapped her arms around her tightly. She'd never seen Bernie cry before, had always regarded her as the big macho army medic, the stronger out of the two of them in the all ways it was possible to be strong. "I'm here for you." She shushed.

She heard a sob escape Bernie's lips and held her tightly as she cried. They stayed like that, wrapped in each other's arms for what felt like an eternity until eventually Bernie's tears subsided and her breath calmed. She pulled away from Serena's embrace, wiping her cheeks with the palms of her hands. "I should go." her voice was almost a whisper.

It was at that moment Serena heard Jason slide his key into the front door and he came into the living room, a smile on his face. "Hello Aunty Serena, Dr Bernie."

"Did you have a good night, Jason?" Serena asked, feeling Bernie leave her side, rising to her feet from the sofa. She missed the feeling of their contact immediately.

"I did thank you. Have you been crying Dr Bernie?"

"No, no." Bernie assured him with a small smile. "I should be going, it's late."

Serena walked with Bernie to the front door. "Can I call you a cab? Or drive you home?"

Bernie shook her head, pulling her coat on. "It's not far, I think I'll walk, clear my head."

"Will you text me when you're home and let me know you're safe?"

"I'm not a child, Serena." Bernie replied, although it was tinged with lightheartedness.

"I know… I just... care about you." Serena replied, her words carrying more meaning than she had anticipated, stripping Bernie of her playful expression. The air suddenly felt heavy and full of tension. Serena couldn't tear her eyes away from Bernie's. The blonde's expression was both unreadable and utterly enticing. Eventually Serena broke their gaze, clearing her throat uncomfortably as she pulled the front door open for Bernie.

"I'll text you." Bernie promised, slipping out into the night.

* * *

An hour later Serena's phone vibrated on her bedside table. She had tried to sleep but was finding it impossible, her body tense with the intangible emotions surrounding her friendship with Bernie. Bernie's confession was still fresh in her mind, having raised numerous questions within Serena that she now seem plagued by.

She grabbed the phone and unlocked it to see Bernie's message:

 _I just got home. Thank you for this evening. B x_

She smiled, too tired to try and compose something in response but glad Bernie had text her like she'd said she would. She lay back down and thought of Bernie sleeping on the sofa with her back pain. She would have to fix that tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the favourites, follows and even a review! :) Hope you like this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Serena came into her office that morning to find a hot cup of coffee on her desk. Bernie was sat behind her computer opposite, she looked tired. Serena wondered if she'd been to sleep at all last night.

"Morning." Serena took a seat in her chair, "Thanks for coffee."

"You're welcome." Bernie smiled at her but it was a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"I was thinking-" Serena was interrupted by Fletch bursting into the office.

"Need you." He looked directly at Serena and she groaned, having just summoned the courage to ask to Bernie the question she'd been turning over in her mind all night. She left the office and followed Fletch out to a patient that needed an emergency consult.

* * *

Serena barely saw Bernie for the rest of the day. They were both rushed off her feet with an incoming group of people who had been involved in a multi-vehicle traffic collision. Their paths only crossed once they both needed to be in theatre to perform surgery on the driver of one of the vehicles.

"I wanted to ask you earlier…" Serena trailed off to carefully cut around the patient's spleen. She looked up at Bernie to make sure she was listening - she was, her eyes catching Serena's to hold her gaze.

Serena realised that the operating theatre was not a good place to gauge Bernie's reaction to her question, with only her eyes visible, but she'd started so she would have to finish. "Your current sleeping situation isn't doing your back any good at all. It doesn't make the least bit of sense when you can just sleep at my house, for a few nights at least or until your back feels better." She knew was blathering, this wasn't the carefully crafted question she'd practiced in her head.

"Serena…"

"Only if it would help of course."

"Where would I sleep?"

"In my bed." Serena's response was so blunt that she surprised herself, her scalpel fell from her hand, the instrument clattering loudly as it hit the metal operating bed and hit the stone floor. One of the theatre team quickly passed her a new sterile one and she cleared her throat, focusing back on the patient. "I would sleep on the sofa of course."

"I couldn't impose on you like that."

Serena felt the sink of disappointment inside her body. "It honestly would be no bother, Miss Wolfe, but of course it's completely up to you."

There was a moment's silence between the two women as they finished the surgery, having removed the patient's spleen and ensured there were no other internal injuries.

"Are you sure?" Bernie asked as they left the room, sliding their blue gowns off into nearby bins.

"Yes."

"And Jason?" Bernie pulled her hat from her head, running her fingers through her hair, her curls settling gently around her shoulders.

"He said it's fine." Serena had asked Jason on their way into work this morning. She had been unsure as to what his thoughts would be on possibly having a visitor for the next few days but was thankful he had taken the idea very well.

Bernie grinned. "Then yes, please, that would be great."

"Splendid." Serena did her best not to display the soar of happiness that spread through her body. She smiled gently at her blonde colleague as they wandered down the corridor back to their office.

"Can I come over later this evening? I need to get some things from my house after work."

"Whenever suits."

Bernie reached out, stopping them both in their tracks in the empty corridor. "Thank you Serena." Her fingers slid down Serena's forearm softly, leaving a trail of goosebumps on Serena's bare skin that she seemed completely aware of.

"What are friends for?" Serena smiled.

* * *

It was 9pm before Serena heard the doorbell ring, she placed her wine glass down on the coffee table and headed into the hallway to open the front door. Bernie stood there, wrapped in her coat with a rucksack slung on her shoulder.

"Come in, it's freezing." Serena opened the door wider and Bernie entered the house.

Bernie hung her coat up on the hooks on the wall nearby and placed the rucksack down on the floor.

"We're just watching one of Jason's quiz shows." Serena smiled at Bernie as she pushed open the living room door, "Glass of wine?"

"Please."

"Good evening, Dr Bernie." Jason greeted Bernie as she entered the room.

"Hi Jason," she smiled at him warmly, "how are you doing?"

"Quite well thank you but I can't speak any more right now as Mastermind is on." He replied before focusing his attention back on the television,

The two women sat down on the sofa together, Bernie slipping off her trainers and tucking her feet underneath her, her knees resting against Serena's thigh. Serena passed her a glass of wine and leant back against the leather sofa, sipping at her own glass. She was glad they had the television to focus on as she was sure if she turned to look at Bernie their faces would be mere inches apart. She both thanked and damned her sofa purchasing decisions.

They stayed in the same position for the entire programme, until the clock chimed 10pm and Jason bid them both goodnight and disappeared off upstairs.

"Shall I show you the bedroom?" Serena asked, placing her empty wine glass down on the table. She'd tried to make her question sound as nonchalant as possible but she cringed inwardly at the amount of suggestion her words were laced with. She knew she was blushing and quickly rose from the sofa without a word from Bernie, leaving the living room.

She heard Bernie's footsteps behind her, grabbing her rucksack and following Serena up the stairs, past Jason's room to a door at the end of the corridor.

"There's an en-suite in the corner, help yourself to toiletries and towels and such like," Serena flicked on the bedroom light and motioned to a door in the corner of the room. Her bedroom was decorated in deep red wallpaper, long black curtains hung at the window, the king size bed took up most of the space in the room. "I'll be driving Jason to work at 7am tomorrow if you want to get a ride with us."

Bernie sat down on the bed, "Serena, I can't even begin to thank you enough for this."

"Don't be silly. Just get some sleep, hmm?"

A yawn escaped Bernie's lips as she nodded.

"See you in the morning." Serena closed the bedroom door behind her. She changed into her pyjamas in the bathroom and headed downstairs to settle down for her first night on the sofa.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Serena awoke that morning to hear the sound of the kettle boiling. The clock on the mantlepiece read 6am and she groaned at the idea of having to get up for work. She sat up from the sofa a little to see Bernie come into the living room, mugs of coffee in hand. She was already fully dressed in a white shirt and denim jeans, her hair wet from the shower.

"Good morning." Bernie passed her one of the mugs and took a seat in the nearby armchair.

Serena could only offer a half hearted grunt in response, still groggy from sleep. She sat up properly, shifting her legs so that her feet settled on the ground beneath her. "Did you sleep alright?"

"Best sleep I've had in months. Your bed is extremely comfortable." Bernie smiled. Serena noted that she looked much brighter than the previous day. "Did you sleep alright?"

Serena nodded, although she could feel her neck and shoulders were stiff. She sipped her coffee, noticing Bernie glance over her sleep-ruffled hair, make-up free face and silk black pyjama shirt and trousers. Serena could feel heat rise in her cheeks that she looked such a mess in front of her. She wasn't sure even Robbie had seen her like this.

"Do you mind if I make myself some toast?"

"No, not at all. I should get a shower." Serena excused herself from the living room, taking her coffee with her in the hope she'd be able to multitask dressing and consuming enough caffeine to properly wake herself up.

* * *

Work that day seemed to drag for Serena. She had been stuck in the office almost all day, fighting against a pile of ever increasing paperwork. Bernie had either been in theatre or on the ward and their paths had only crossed briefly at lunchtime when she had popped into the office to bring Serena a coffee.

A long, tired groan left Serena's lips as she finished what she hoped would be her last task of the day. It was gone 7pm and Jason had already got the bus home instead of waiting, saying he would sort his own dinner out and leave Bernie and Serena to do their own thing. Serena felt so proud of Jason, he had come on leaps and bounds since he had moved in with her. She hoped he might even be able to take on a more senior role in the hospital at some point.

Her thoughts were broken by the sound of the office door opening, in walking a very tired Bernie.

She slumped down in the chair next to Serena's desk, closing her eyes as her head hit the back of the wall. "Someone bring me a glass of wine, or better yet, a bottle." She sighed.

"I happen to know a place that serves a very good Shiraz…" Serena grinned.

"That sounds wonderful."

"Get your coat then, Major." Serena rose from her seat.

* * *

Albie's was busy but they found a small table in a corner away from the bustle. Bernie insisted she was paying and bought a bottle of Serena's favourite Shiraz. She took a seat opposite the brunette, pouring them both large glasses of the red liquid.

Conversation flowed between the two women as they discussed their work that day, performance of the people in their team and department budgets. Serena couldn't think of anyone better to lead AAU with - Bernie was sharp minded, fair and the most experienced surgeon she had ever worked with.

It was when Bernie returned to the table with their second bottle of wine that Serena found the courage to change the subject to matters closer to heart."Did you tell Marcus where you were staying?"

"I said I was staying with a friend for a little while. He didn't ask anything and neither did the kids. I think they're so used to me disappearing on tour that it doesn't make much difference if I'm there or not anymore." Bernie topped Serena's glass up with their new bottle.

"I'm sure that's not the case, Bern."

Bernie took a large sip of her wine. "I always had it in my head when I got married that I would be a perfect wife. Always there for my kids, and for my husband. Not some lesbian screw-up, lying to her family about who she really is."

Serena reached out instinctively, taking hold of Bernie's hand and squeezing it gently. She had no words to help her colleague, she couldn't fix this for her and she hated that she was so powerless. Bernie squeezed her hand back and their fingers laced together.

The feeling of their hands entwined made Serena's heart skip a beat. She looked up at Bernie, both terrified and eager to read the blonde's reaction to their contact.

Bernie's deep brown eyes were so full of warmth it took Serena's breath away. She couldn't remember the last time someone had looked at her with so much trust and… something else. Something else that sent warmth across her body and down into her body, curling itself tightly in her lower stomach and making her feel weak.

She pulled her hand away from Bernie's. "It's awfully hot in here, isn't it?" She didn't wait for Bernie's reply, getting up from her seat and leaving the pub, desperate for fresh air.

Her legs felt like jelly as she walked back to the hospital. She felt intoxicated, and not from the Shiraz. She wanted to surrender herself to whatever hold Bernie had on her. She wondered if Bernie had any idea about confusion and angst she had caused. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Serena tried to wipe the thoughts from her mind.

"Serena…" Bernie appeared by her side, breathing a little heavy from having jogged over from the pub.

"I had to get some air. Sorry." She looked up at her to see only kindness in her eyes.

"We've both had a bit much too drink to drive your car home. Shall we get a taxi?"

Serena nodded and watched as Bernie hailed a taxi that had just pulled into the hospital car park to drop someone off. She was grateful Bernie hadn't asked her any questions about her swift exit from the pub.

Once home, Bernie disappeared straight to bed and Serena lay on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. The mental image of Bernie asleep in her bed seemed to taunt her, she imagined slipping her arms around Bernie's waist, pressing her body against Bernie's as they slept.

She closed her eyes and her mind filled with the image of her fingers slipping under Bernie's t-shirt, feeling her taut stomach and then further down…

"Jesus Christ, Serena Campbell. What have you got yourself into?" She whispered to herself.


End file.
